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Kampfgruppe Kersher
Kampfgruppe Kersher
Kampfgruppe Kersher
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KAMPFGRUPPE KERSHER
Battlegroup Kersher
Tank Company
HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS
You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each box shaded grey.
Kampfgruppe Kersher HQ
2
ARMOUR
ARMOUR
SUPPORT PLATOONS
COMBAT PLATOONS
On 6 April 1945 the Soviet Red Army launch their main offensive against German forces at Knigsburg. Two days later a small group of Tiger I E tanks counterattacked. During the ensuing battle, one Tigers was destroyed, reducing the battalions strength to just 9 tanks. On 12 April 2. Schwere Panzerabteilung was split up into groups of 2 to 3 tanks, to wait for the Soviet offensive to catch up with them. Oberfeldwebel Kersher and another Tiger were deployed near Norgau (20 miles/31.5 km northwest of Knigsburg). The next day Kampfgruppe Kersher engaged the Soviet spearhead and destroyed more than 20 tanks. Later that day the second TigerIE had to withdraw due to a damaged gun. Kersher continued to fight, knocking out another 15 tanks. On the evening of 12 April a supply truck brought some ammunition forward and a second Tiger I E, commanded by Unteroffizier Weigand, arrived to reinforce Kersher. A short while later the two Tigers knock out a further 12 SU-100 tank-hunters. Afterwards, Weigands Tiger and nearby infantry were called away to a different location. A couple of days later Kershers Tiger suffered mechanical failure and became stuck in third gear. Despite this he tried to support the two Tigers of Feldwebel Hermann and Unteroffizier Baresch, but his tank is hit and he is wounded in the head. Hermanns tank becomes immobilised and had to be abandoned, while Bareschs tank was destroyed.
The survivors manned Kershers crippled Tiger and made a strategic retreat. Another tank takes over the position while Kershers tank relocates to the battalions maintenance facility. On 21 April, Kershers repaired Tiger made its way to the front line and stopped several Soviet attacks in the Neuhusel Forest with assistance from a pair ofHetzers from 1. Kompanie/502. Schwere Panzerabteilung, a PaK, and a TigerII from 506. Schwere Panzerabteilung. Between them, 21enemy vehicles were knocked out and Kersher brought his personal tally to over 100. The Tiger II then ran out of ammunition and withdrew, while the Hetzers and the PaK were redeployed. The next day Kershers tank took several hits and his fuel tanks started to leak. Over 300 litres of fuel spilled into the hull. Kersher simply drained it off and kept fighting. After knocking out several more tanks he was relieved by two Tigers returning from workshop after repairs. Kersher was then called on to support the local infantry against another Soviet thrust. His Tiger took another couple of hits and had to fall back to the maintenance facility again. Kersher returned to Neuhusel Forest to engage enemy tanks that had penetrated into the forest. He tried to mount a defence with another Tiger, but when that tiger was knocked out Kersher withdrew to Pillau. Once he had reached the harbour he had no choice but to scuttle his tank and escape on a ferry to Frische Nehrung (near Danzig).
KAMPFGRUPPE KERSHER
RELUCTANT CONFiDENT FEARLESS CONScRIPT TRAINED VETERAN
HEADQUARTERS
KAMPfgRuPPE KERShER HQ
HEADQuARTERS
Oberfeldwebel Kersher in Tiger 1 E 265 points
Company Command Tiger I E Company HQ
Oberfeldwebel
Oberfeldwebel
Oberfeldwebel Kersher does not roll for Tiger Ace Skills at the beginning of the game. Instead he uses the special rules listed below.
Kampfgruppe Kersher HQ
GBX156 , Wittmann & his Tiger I E is a great model to use for Oberfeldwebel Kersher.
0 Miles 0 Kilometres
40 80
80 120 160
160
ARMY GROUP
EAST PRUSSIA
Knigsberg (Kaliningrad)
NORTH
GERMANY
Kampfgruppe Kersher
ComBat Platoons
SChWERE PANZER PLATOON
PLATOON
2 Tiger I E 1 Tiger I E 430 points 215 points
Command Tiger I E HQ Section Tiger I E Panzer section Feldwebel
Feldwebel
Unterfeldwebel
Remember to roll for your Tiger Ace Skills before each game.
Feldwebel
Feldwebel
In missions that have Reserves of any type (Reserves, Scattered Reserves, Delayed Reserves, etc.), Reserve Schwere Panzer Platoons must be held in Reserve and are always the last platoon to arrive from Reserve. In missions that do not normally have any form of Reserves, Reserve Schwere Panzer Platoons start the game in Reserve. Reserve Schwere Panzer Platoons roll for their Tiger Ace skills when they arrives on table from Reserves.
By this stage of the war there is little in the war of fresh panzers making their way to the frontline, and units have to patch up damaged tanks as best as they can. Throughout April the maintenance facility was able to repair a small number of tanks and get them back into the eld. Even Kersher had to make use of these facilities on occasion.
SUPPORT PLATOONS
PANZERJAgER PLATOON
PLATOON
2 Hetzers 1 Hetzer 185 points 95 points
Leutnant
Leutnant
Unteroffizier
Hetzer Tank-hunter
Panzerjger Platoon
A Panzerjager Platoon uses the Tiger Aces special rules on page 244 of the rulebook, where a Tiger Ace skill refers to Tiger tanks or 8.8cm tank guns, treat that as referring to a Hetzer and its main gun instead.
On 26 February 511. Schwere Panzerabteilung consolidated all of its remaining Tiger I E tanks into the second company. Due to a lack of fresh tigers from the factory being in short supply, the 1st company of 511. Schwere Panzerabteilung was re-equipped with Hetzer tank-hunters. The veteran crews gave a good account of themselves in the tank-hunters, however by April the Hetzer company had been involved in heavy ghting and only a few of them remained.
Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Remember to roll for your Tiger Ace Skills before each game.
On paper, the third company of 511. Schwere Panzerabteilung was equipped with Tiger II tanks. In reality they never received them, as they got diverted to another unit. The only Tiger IIs in the area belonged to 506. Schwere Panzerabteilung.
VETERAN KAMPfgRuPPE
RELUCTANT CONFiDENT FEARLESS CONScRIPT TRAINED VETERAN
FRESh KAMPfgRuPPE
RELUCTANT CONFiDENT FEARLESS CONScRIPT TRAiNED VETERAN
Leutnant or oberfeldwebel
Leutnant or Oberfeldwebel
Panzerschreck team
Unteroffizier
Unteroffizier
Grenadier Squad
Grenadier Squad
Unteroffizier
The Weapons Squad is made up of Weapons teams. There is no actual team called a Weapons team. Instead these can be any of the following types of teams: up to one 7.5cm PaK40 anti-tank gun up to two MG42 HMG up to two 8cm GW34 mortar A Grenadier Kampfgruppe Platoon is unusual in that the composition of the platoon can change from game to game. You must choose the composition of your Grenadier Kampfgruppe Platoon for each game before deployment begins.
Weapons team
Weapons team
German Arsenal
Tank Teams
Name Mobility Front Weapon Range ROF Armour Side Anti-tank Top Firepower Equipment and Notes
HEAVY TANKS
Tiger I E 8.8cm KwK36 gun Knigstiger (Henschel) 8.8cm KwK43 gun Slow Tank 40/100cm Slow Tank 40/100cm 9 2 15 2 8 13 8 16 2 3+ 2 3+ Co-ax MG, Hull MG, Protected ammo, Wide tracks. Slow traverse. Co-ax MG, Hull MG, Overloaded. Slow traverse.
TANK-huNTERS
Hetzer 7.5cm PaK39 gun Standard Tank 32/80cm 7 2 2 11 1 3+ Hull MG, Overloaded. Hull mounted.
Gun Teams
Weapon MG42 HMG Mobility Man-packed Range 24/60cm ROF 6 Anti-tank Firepower 2 2 2 12 6 3+ 6 3+ Notes ROF 3 when pinned down or moving. Smoke, Minimum range 8/20cm. Smoke bombardment. Gun shield. 8cm GW34 mortar Man-packed Firing bombardments 7.5cm PaK40 gun Medium 24/60cm 2 40/100cm - 32/80cm 2
InfantrY Teams
Team Rie/MG team Panzerschreck team Panzerfaust Range 16/40cm 8/20cm 4/10cm ROF 2 2 1 Anti-tank Firepower Notes 2 11 12 6 5+ 5+ Tank Assault 5. Tank Assault 6, Cannot shoot in the Shooting Step if moved in the Movement Step.
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